Word of the Day
Proboscis
Pronunciation
[prə-BAH-skəs]
Part of speech
Noun
Origin
Greek, early 17th century
Definition(s)
- A long flexible snout or trunk, as of an elephant.
- A slender, tubular organ in the head region of an invertebrate, such as certain insects and worms, usually used for sucking or piercing.
- A human nose, especially a prominent one.
Used in a sentence
- At the zoo I had the chance to watch an anteater use its proboscis to stir up the dirt and eat insects.
- The garden was planted with flowers known to have pollen to attract bees and other insects with a proboscis.
About the Word
You’ll recognize the long snout called a proboscis on animals such as the elephant, tapir, and anteater, but they’re also in the insect world. On a lepidoptera, or butterfly, the proboscis is also called a haustellum, and it’s used to reach down deep into flowers for pollen and nectar.
Did you know?
Many mammals have a nose or snout that could be called a proboscis, but one species of monkey earned special designation. The proboscis monkey is endemic to Borneo, and is one of the largest species of Asian monkeys. Females and babies have smaller, pointier proboscises, while the males have a more pronounced and bulbous feature.
Popularity Over Time
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Courtesy of Wordgenius.com and AHDictionary.com
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